Advancement & Public Services

Moline John Deere Foundation

WIU Receives $1 Million for Quad Cities Engineering Program

The Western Illinois University-Quad Cities campus has received $1
million in contributions from the John Deere Foundation and The Moline
Foundation for the University's new engineering program that will begin
this fall.

The donations -- $500,000 from each foundation -- will support lease
space and equipment. WIU-QC officials are currently evaluating bids to
lease 9,000-square-feet of space in downtown Moline to temporarily house
the engineering program until the WIU-QC Riverfront Campus Building I
is open.

"These collaborative relationships further Western's mission of
providing a quality, affordable public education to the residents of
this region," said WIU President Al Goldfarb. "The new engineering
program builds on the University's traditions of academic excellence and
educational opportunity."

According to Jon Tunberg, Moline Foundation chair, being a leader in
encouraging philanthropy is a part of the foundation's mission.

"This project encompasses many of the goals we have set for The Moline
Foundation, such as education, charitable partnerships, effective use of
our riverfront, business growth and workforce development," Tunberg
added.

"The John Deere Foundation makes this contribution as an investment in
the long-term future of the Quad Cities area," said Amy Nimmer,
president of the John Deere Foundation. "This initiative has been in the
works for several years. While we continue to support programs at many
institutions of higher education, we believe it is especially important
to bring an engineering curriculum offered by a public university to the
area."

According to Joe Rives, WIU vice president of the Quad Cities, planning
and technology, the foundations' contributions represent "a great
partnership between Western and its host community." The University will
invest an additional $2 million in the engineering program over a
four-year period; however, additional assistance and community
partnerships are necessary for space, internships, capstone projects,
research and outreach, Rives added.

"Western is an active citizen in the Quad Cities region, and the support
we receive from business, industry and nonprofit organizations helps us
remain a viable member of this community,” Rives said. “Through this
gift, our students and the citizens of this region will have expanded
opportunities to further their education in a high demand field."

The 133-semester hour engineering degree will be delivered at the
WIU-Macomb and WIU-Quad Cities campuses and will provide an integrated
course of study. The program will be a plus-two degree completion
program (junior and senior years) articulated with the pre-engineering
transfer programs at the WIU-Macomb campus and other four-year
universities, along with community colleges in Illinois, Iowa and
Missouri, including Black Hawk College and the Eastern Iowa Community
College District. Western's Quad Cities-based engineering program will
be linked to QC businesses through required internships, cooperative
education experiences and capstone projects. A search is currently
underway for a director for Western's new School of Engineering.

"We have been working with our community college partners, Black Hawk
and Scott, to ensure a seamless transition into Western's engineering
program," said College of Business and Technology Dean Tom Erekson. "We
have had a significant number of inquiries from potential students who
want to become engineers."

In Fall 2003, Deere & Company donated 20 acres of land on the Moline
riverfront to Western to expand the WIU-Quad Cities facilities. The WIU
Riverfront Building I will include engineering and manufacturing
technology labs; the executive studies center, which offers noncredit
instructional and professional development opportunities for businesses
and nonprofit organizations; electronic classrooms; computer labs;
distance learning classrooms; an information commons; a professional
writing and academic support center; and office space for faculty and
University administrators.

Founded in 1953, The Moline Foundation is a community-based, nonprofit
organization, which provides grants to health, human services,
education, community development, the arts and other charitable
organizations that benefit the citizens of Moline and the Quad Cities
region.

The John Deere Foundation was established in 1948; and since its
inception the foundation has invested millions of dollars to support
education, human services, community development, and arts and culture.

As the only public university in the Quad Cities region, WIU-QC
currently provides 11 undergraduate programs, including new offerings in
liberal arts and sciences and early childhood education; 13 master's
degree programs, which include new degrees in liberal arts and sciences,
educational leadership and museum studies; and five post-baccalaureate
certificate programs, including the new Environmental GIS certificate,
at the 60th Street campus.